The Ondo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called on both state and federal governments to urgently develop and implement a reintegration programme for out-of-school children, particularly those found roaming streets and begging in parts of the state.
The call was part of resolutions reached at the end of the council’s monthly congress held on Thursday, June 26, 2025, at the Press Centre, Alagbaka, Akure. The meeting, which was presided over by the State Chairman, Prince Leke Adegbite, drew participation from members across various NUJ chapels in the state.
In its communiqué, the Congress expressed concern over the increasing number of vulnerable children, especially those relocated from northern Nigeria, who now populate public spaces in Ondo State. The union emphasized the need for a strategic intervention to prevent future security and social challenges.
“The Congress observed with empathy the escalating number of out-of-school children roaming the streets and begging for alms in all parts of Ondo State… and called on both the state and federal governments to design a programme aimed at re-integrating them into the formal education system so they will not constitute threats to the society in the nearest future,” the communiqué read in part.
The Congress commended the National Assembly for the timely passage of the bill establishing the Federal University of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Ikare-Akoko, Ondo State. It urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to assent to the bill without delay to facilitate the institution’s quick takeoff.
The NUJ also celebrated the successful commemoration of the union’s 70th Anniversary, congratulating its members nationwide and lauding the National Executive Council, led by President Comrade Alhassan Yahya, for steering the union through seven decades of professional service.
Reaffirming its commitment to journalistic ethics, the Congress encouraged all journalists to uphold the core values of the profession, particularly truthfulness and nation-building through responsible reporting.
